Around Us 08-19-09

Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, August 20, 2009

LUBBOCK - A Lubbock toddler's struggle to survive ended in tragedy Tuesday, four days after the 14-month-old was run over by her mother in what police said was an accident.

Aniyah Allen was pronounced dead at Covenant Medical Center.

Aniyah was on life support when the family made the decision to take her off around 3:30 p.m., said Lubbock Police Capt. Greg Stevens.

The toddler was taken to Covenant after an accident where she received critical injuries to her head and chest around 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Police said the mother, 21-year-old Chelsea Manahan, was backing out of the driveway in the 100 block of East 75th Street when Aniyah was injured. Investigators said Manahan believed Aniyah was inside the home with the child's grandmother when the 2007 Buick LeSabre she was driving rolled over her daughter's body.

No charges have been filed against the mother. - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

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LUBBOCK - A 26-year-old mother was charged with failing to stop and render aid in a Sunday morning hit-and-run that claimed a man's life.

Officers took the vehicle - a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox - into police custody and interviewed Tanguma's passenger after getting the tip late Monday night.

Officials issued a warrant for Tanguma's arrest late Tuesday afternoon.

Failure to stop and render aid is a third-degree felony, which carries a prison term of two to 10 years.

When police arrived on scene, Hernandez had a slow pulse and was having difficulty breathing, according to Tanguma's arrest warrant. He later died at University Medical Center.

He had been hit at about 1:55 a.m. while walking northeast across 50th Street.

Officers believe Tanguma, who was heading west in the 1200 block of 50th Street, had attempted to change to the center lane from the right lane when she struck Hernandez, according to a report. Her attorney, Jeff Nicholson, said she may have been looking back at traffic when the mishap occurred.

The report indicates Hernandez failed to yield the right of way to a vehicle.

Nicholson said Tanguma didn't know she had hit a person at the time and she pulled over about a half mile after the collision when she noticed damage on her vehicle. She didn't see any blood and assumed everything was fine, her attorney said.

Tanguma had been at home until shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday when a friend called her from a bar and asked for a ride, her attorney said.

Tanguma later learned about who she hit from news accounts. Officials recommended a $7,000 bond for Tanguma, her arrest warrant shows. - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

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AMARILLO - U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison visited Amarillo today to announce her campaign for governor of Texas and host a rally for supporters.

Hutchison on Monday formally announced her bid for governor in the 2010 gubernatorial race. She will run against Gov. Rick Perry in the Republican primary.

Today's event was part of Hutchison's five-day, 19-stop tour throughout Texas which also included a stop in Lubbock this afternoon. - Amarillo Globe-News